Week 4 Roundup Groups E-H

Jason Clark picked up 25 points for Okapi Aalstar in the battle of the Belgians

EWE Baskets Oldenburg extended their unbeaten run and celebrated by securing a spot in the EuroChallenge Last 16 during Week 4 action, while two teams abolished all hope of making it to the next round.

Lami-Véd Körmend were facing a do-or-die battle against BC Timisoara at home on Tuesday, as only a win would keep them in the run for a place in the Last 16.

Luckily for the Hungarians, their frontcourt duo was fully conscious of the vital importance of the game.

Matthew Shaw, the Week 4 MVP, delivered an almost flawless performance and finished with 33 points and seven rebounds, while Croatian power forward Zvonko Buljan was not far behind, collecting a double-double of 29 points and 10 boards.

These two star displays were enough to keep the hosts in the game after a very difficult first thirty minutes and propel them to a 15-3 run in an excellent final frame that sealed a 97-86 victory.

The stage was set for a celebration in Bonn on Wednesday night as more than 4,000 fans in the stands prepared to cheer Telekom Baskets to their fourth win in a row, securing them a spot in the next phase of the competition.

The Germans had already beaten Port of Antwerp Giants in the reverse fixture in Belgium and started better on Wednesday.

But the Belgians were in a party-spoiling mood. They fought tooth and nail for 40 minutes, never allowing the hosts to take a considerable lead.

The visitors then tightened the screws on defence in the fourth, giving up only 13 points to Bonn in that period.

The end of regulation found the scores tied at 69 and the Belgians had enough fuel left in the tank to edge out the hosts 82-78 in overtime.

Gregory Thondique was a rock at both ends of the floor for the Giants, and collected a double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds while Bryan Hopkins was the top scorer for the winners with 17 points.

Hapoel Unet Holon took advantage of Bonn's defeat to go level with the Germans on the table and eliminate one contestant from the race for a Last 16 spot.

But it was far from a walk in the park for the Israelis, as Armia, playing at home, came out guns blazing in their last-ditch attempt to stay alive in the group.

The Georgian side scored 28 points to Holon's 17 in the first frame, but their enthusiasm and output on offence gradually subsided at the same time that Holon were finding their rhythm.

A 16-4 run towards the end of the third quarter gave the lead to Holon but Armia still had some reserves in the tank.

The hosts fought back to tie the scores at 65 in the fourth, but ultimately Holon's experience allowed them to overcome Armia's brave resistance and claim a valuable victory, 79-72.

Holon's Jerome Dyson led all scorers with 32 points but a key all-round performance came from Franklin Hassell, who finished with a double-double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and two assists.